Hernando County’s Chinsegut Hill Historic Site will reopen to the public Saturday, August 1. This result of a partnership between the Tampa Bay History Center and the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners is exciting news to NatureCoasters!

The historic house and grounds located in Hernando County will reopen in partnership with the Tampa Bay History Center

Guided tours of the historic house museum will be available on Saturdays and Sundays every half hour from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Admission for all guests is $5. The last tour each day is at 4 p.m. Tickets may be purchased in advance here. The house museum will be available by appointment for group tours of 8 or more.

In January of 2020, the Tampa Bay History Center entered into a unique partnership with Hernando County to provide curatorial and interpretive services for Chinsegut Hill, one of Florida’s few remaining pre-Civil War plantation sites. 

Located on one of the highest points in the state of Florida, Chinsegut Hill has been witness to the gatherings of Floridians for thousands of years. From the State’s earliest people to pioneers settling at the time of the Second Seminole War, and continuing to the emancipation of enslaved people following the Civil War.

During the 1920s, new owners of the home hosted such luminaries as Thomas Edison, Helen Keller, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and others.

Chinsegut Hill Manor Museum Historic Site Reopens to the Public

Over the spring and summer, History Center staff was hard at work researching the history of the site, meticulously cataloging artifacts, designing new interpretive signage for the property, and training docents and guides to offer tours of the historic house and grounds.

“Chinsegut Hill offers a varied cross section of Florida’s history,” said C.J. Roberts, the Tampa Bay History Center’s President and CEO. “People can tour both the house museum and the grounds, and they’ll find many different stories and perspectives, from Seminole culture to Progressive Era politics, the Civil War to the Great Depression.”

Tampa Bay History Center brings Guided Tours and Interpretive Signage to help tell the Stories of Chinsegut Hill

A Smithsonian Affiliate and an American Alliance of Museums-accredited institution, the Tampa Bay History Center focuses on “Historic Hillsborough” County, which in the mid-19th century comprised much of the Gulf Coast, including all or part of 24 present-day counties, from near Ocala to Lake Okeechobee.

“We are excited to help tell the story of Chinsegut Hill and ensure that this important historic site is open and accessible to the people of Hernando County and all of Florida’s residents and visitors,” said Roberts.

“The Tampa Bay History Center’s ability to tell the stories of this historic and beloved Hernando County landmark is something we are most excited about,” said Hernando County Administrator Jeff Rogers. “The expertise and available resources they can provide will help propel Chinsegut Hill into a positive and healthy future.” 

Chinsegut Hill Museum offers Guided Tours on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 – 5

Guided tours are offered every half hour starting at 10 a.m. The last tour is at 4 p.m. Advance tickets are available for purchase online. Due to the continuing spread of COVID-19 and for the safety of the staff, volunteers and fellow visitors, face masks will be required when touring the house museum.

For more information, visit tampabayhistorycenter.org/chinsegut or call 352.770.2188.